Block puzzles



April 16, 1957 J. F. LICHTENBERGE-R BLOCK PUZZLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23, 1956 FINAL SLIDE LARGE BLOCK RATING TO UPPER LEFT CORNER INVENTOR. J. F. LICHTENBERGER BY} 5 FIG. /0

ATTORNEY April 16, 1957 Filed March 23, 1956 J.' F. LICHTENBERGER 2,788,975

BLOCK PUZZLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 VIII/[M11114 Iii III/A INVENTOR. J. F. LICHTENBERGER .ATTORNEY BLOCK PUZZLES James F. Lichtenberger, Marshfield, M0.

Application March 23, 1956, Serial No. 573,460

8 Claims. (Cl. 273-132) This invention relates to movable or slidable block puzzles and provides a highly entertaining, amusing and ingenuity-testing task for the player.

A puzzle of this type contemplates the utilization of a box-like structure including a floor and a surrounding wall, preferably rectangular or square in outline, containing a number of blocks occupying nearly the whole of the floor space but leaving sufiicient unoccupied space to permit of sliding of the various blocks along the floor. The puzzle further contemplates the inclusion among the blocks of one block of larger dimensions than the others, normally positioned in one corner of the structure, the solution of the puzzle consisting in moving the said larger block from a starting position at one corner of the fioor to a final position at an adjacent corner, with the player limited to sliding of the blocks along the floor.

An object of the present invention is the provision of registering means associated with and operated by the above-mentioned larger or key block during the movement thereof toward its final position or goal, whereby an indicator associated with a scale will indicate the progress of the key block toward its goal yet will at the same time fail to advance the indicator whenever the key block is moved in a direction which will fail to advance it toward its goal. For the purpose of adding to the amusement and entertaining value of the puzzle, the scale may he graduated in units between zero and 140 and labeled Intelligence Quotient, or I. Q., so that the players final achievement after a given time, say, for example, thirty minutes, as recorded on the scale, may be termed his I. Q.

It happens that in attempting to work out the solution of the instant puzzle, the average player is stumped and unable to move the key block nearer to its goal, at a position where the scale reads an I. Q. of about 80. Again for enhancing the entertaining value of the puzzle, a window is provided adjacent the scale, and a placard associated with the registering means is adapted to move into the window space as the key block nears the position in which the scale reads an I. Q. of about 80. The placard bears legends Dunce and Genius, positioned side by side so that when the scale reads, say, 80, the legend Dunce appears in the window, and when the player succeeds in moving the key block all the way into its goal position, the placard shows the legend Genius in the window while the scale reads an I. Q. of 140.

The above broad as well as additional and more specific objects will be clarified in the following descrip-.

tion wherein reference numerals refer to like-numbered parts in the accompanying drawings. It is to be noted that the drawings are intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that it is therefore neither desired to limit the invention necessarily to any or all of the details of construction shown or described except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring briefly to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a puzzle of the character mentioned, embodying the features of the present invention,

2,788,975 Patented Apr. 16, 1957.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, as seen from the top of the puzzle, with the blocks removed therefrom.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the puzzle, showing the registering mechanism when the key block is in its original or starting position, in full lines.

Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the key block.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the registering mechanism, partly in section, with the remainder of the boxlike structure, or frame, of the puzzle shown in phantom, with the key block also in its starting position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the position of the registering mechanism after a player has moved the key block too far, beyond an intermediate position between the initial or starting position of the key block and its final or goal position.

Fig. 7 is also a view similar to Fig. 5, but it shows the registering mechanism in its final position when the key block has reached its goal.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 6, showing a detail of the registering mechanism in association with the pin on the key block,. assuming that the key block and hence the pin is being moved in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11, assuming, however, that the key block is being moved in the opposite direction, i. e., in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 12.

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view representing the successive positions of the various blocks in the progress t of the key block from the original positions of the blocks shown in Fig. 1 through fifty-three successive steps in correctly solving the puzzle by transferring the key block to its position shown as the 53rd step, or final step, in Fig. 13, this particular sequence of steps being shown merely by way of example as other sequences, varying also in number, may be utilized.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken on the line 14--14 of Fig. 2, with parts omitted to show only the supporting box-like housing.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 15 indicates a box-like structure or housing, rectangular in conformation, having the end walls 16 and 17 and the side walls 18 and 19. A raised slotted floor 20, supported between the side walls 18 and 19 and the end wall 17, extends partway of the length of the housing from the wall 17, and a step platform 21 is supported between the side walls and the end wall 16 above the floor 20 over the remaining length of the housing. An intermediate wall 22 extends laterally between the vertically spaced edges of the floor 20 and the platform 21.

Blocks 23, 24, and 25 are removably and slidably mounted on the floor 29. The assortment of blocks provided in the instant embodiment of the puzzle, comprise two small square blocks 24, six rectangular blocks 23 each having twice the area and volume of a block 24, and a single large square block 25, which is herein termed the key block, having four times the area and volume of the small square blocks 24. The blocks 25 has a pin 26 extending from the midpoint of the underside thereof.

The floor 2G is slotted as shown in Fig. 2, and the pin 26 on the block 25 is adapted to register slidably in the slots in the floor. The distance between the walls 18 and i9 is equal to five times the width of the blocks 23 or two and one-half times their length, and is also equal to five times the length or width of the blocks 24 and to two and one-half times the length or width of the block'25. The distance between the wall 17 and the wall 22 is four-fifths of the distance between the walls 18 and E9. The slots in the wall 29 comprise a lower horizontal slot, i. e., parallel with the wall 17, shown at 27, extending over three-fifths of the distance between the side walls and having its ends terminate one fifth of said distance from the side Walls. Vertical slots 28 and 29 extend *upward from the extremities of, the slot 27, a distance equal to onerfourth of the distance between the walls 17 and 22. Additional vertical slots 3% and 31 extend upward from the slot 27, each from a point onethird of thelength of the slot 27 from the extremity of the latter. Finally, horizontal slots 32 and. 33 extend in opposite directions outward from the upper ends of the slots 34} and 31, respectively, and have a length equal to one-third that of the slot 27. The slots 30 and 31 have a length equal to one-half the distance between the walls 17* and 22; the slot 27 is spaced. from the wall 17 a distanceequalto one-fourth the distance between the walls 17 and 22.,

It is to be noted that when the. blocks are in place in the starting position of the puzzle, a floor space unoccupied by any blocks or block, shown at 34 in Fig. 1, is provided, which permits of sliding the blocks in proceeding with the solution, or attempted solution, of the puzzle.

A sector, 35 is pivoted at its tapered extremity to a pivot 36 extending downward from the floor and spaced a short distance from this floor, and parallel therewith. The upper or larger end of the sector is thus adapted to oscillate under the platform 21. An arm 37 is pivoted approximately intermediate its length on a pivot 38 extending downward from the floor 2t and is positioned between the sector 35 and the floor. A slot 39 in the upper portion of the sector extends at an angle, as shown, to the median line of the sector. An elongated pin 46 is rigid in the upper end of the arm 37 and extends hot-h upward and downward through the arm. The lower end of the pin registers slidably in theslot 39, and the upper end of the pin registers slidably in an arcuate slot or window 41 provided in the platform 21, the latter along one edge of this slot bearing graduations, preferably from zero to one-hundred and forty, in accordance with the scale of an intelligence quotient. An indicator head 42 on the pin 40 aids in reading the scale of The length of the pin. 26 on the block 25 is such that,

with the block on the floor and the pin extending through any position in, the paths provided by the slots 27 to 33, inclusive, the pin will have its lower portion in the plane of the .arm but will not extend down to the sector 35, so that in moving in a path the pin. will slidably engage the edgeof the arm.

The original position of the registering mechanism, including the sector 35 and the arm 37, when the block 25. is in the upper right-hand corner of the floor 29 as shown in Fig. 1, is illustrated in Fig.3 and inFig. 5, with the block 25 positioned so that its pin 26 lies. at. the right hand or dead end of the slot 33. The first and only possible move of the block 25 is toward. the left, and it is to be noted that when or just before the pin 26 reaches the left-hand end of this. slot it engages the. arm. 37 to start to swing the latter clockwise. The right-hand edge 46 f the arm 37 is, thus, first engaged by the pin 26. The next movement of the block is such as to carry the pin downward along the slot 31. In thus progressing, the pin rides down the edge 46 and continues to swing the arm farther in the same direction. The lower end of the arm has a curved bulge 47 which causes the pin to swing the arm more rapidly, or a greater distance, as the pin nears the lower end of this slot. After reaching the slot 27, the proper movement of the block 25 is sucb'as to carry the pin 26 upward along the slot 30. However, many players make the incorrect move of continuing the block aiong the slot 27 to the left, as shown in Fig. 6. To permit reverse movement of the block back (to the right, Fig. 6) into the slot 3% along the slot 27, a dog 48, pivoted in a cut-out 49, extends below the lower extremity of the arm to be engaged by the pin 25 traveling in. the slot 27. Such clutch-like dogs are, of course, well known, and the dog 43 swings freely counterclockwise, Figs. 6 ll, to permit the pin to return to the right, as indicated in Fig. 12, without moving the arm37.

in continuing movement of the pin 26 in the proper path up the slot 39, the pin again engages the bulge 47 on the edge 46 of the arm 37, thus swi g the arm "either clockwise, which the pin continues to do as it engages the straight portion of the arm above the bulge. Finally, as the block 25 is properly moved along the slot 32 into its goal, as shown in Fig. 7, the pin 25 rides along the edge 46 in the direction back toward the bulge 47, the arm is still farther swung clockwise, and is. given a final push in that direction as the pin 26 rides again up on the bulge 47.

While the arm 37 has been swung through the series of, arcs indicated above, the sector 35 has also been swung in the same direction but through shorter arcs, by the slidable engagement of the indicator pin 40 in the slot 39 of the sector, as is obvious. Thus, the indicator 42 has been advancing along the scale 43 proportionately to the advancement of the block 25 in its course toward solution of the puzzle, the indicator reaching the topmost graduation upon entering of the block 25in its goal position shown in Fig. 7. It is to be 'noted, Fig. 6, that the arm ceases to be actuated by the pin 26 after the pin has moved a portion of the distance to the left of the slot 39 and thus fails to cause additive movement of the indicator 42 along its scale, which is desirable since such movement of the block does not serve toward solution of the puzzle and, if continued up the dead-end slot, the pinpwill also not engage the arm and. hence will not move the indicator 42. The player must then back-track the block 25 to return the pin 26 to the bottom of the slot 36, and only if he succeeds in moving the block properly so that the pin 26 travels up the slot 39 will the indicator be moved additively, as described above.

A window Stl is provided through the platform 21, near the scale slot 41 and the upper right-hand corner, Figs. 1 and 2. The sector 35 has an upright rod or other suitable support Sirigid thereon near the upper arcuate edge thereof, and rigid on the upper end of this support, Fig- 8, is a placard or legendbearing panel or card. 52 having any suitable conformation but here shown arcuate and substanti'ally concentric with the said arcuate edge of the sector. The top surface of the panel 52, that is, the surface thereof facing the platform 21, bears, side by side, the legends Dunce and Genius, although other legends may be provided, if desired. The window lies, so to speak, in the orbit of the. panel 52 as the sector swings through an are. It is to be noted that when a player is unable to proceed toward the solution of the puzzle beyond, say, the position of the registering mechanism shown in Pig. .6, and this, as noted above, is the limit which the average player is. able to attain, the scale reads an I. Q. of approxi-.

mately and the legend Duuce appears through the window 59. If the player succeeds in solving the. puzzle, then the I. Q. scale registers and the legend Genius? appears through the window; as shown in Fig. 7. The legend Final Rating appears on the platform 21 adia' cent the window 5%. This feature ofhaving a legend de scriptive of the I. Q. rating. attained by the player substantially enhances the utility and amusing properties of the puzzle.

In the initial state of the puzzle, the blocks are posi-,

ticned as shown in'Fi-g. l, with the space 34 unoccupied,

or empty, so that the other blocks may be moved. Fig. 13 shows, in sequence, the successive steps, numbered succesively, from 1st step through 53rd step, or final solution of the puzzle. In the fifty-three difierent positions of the blOCn'S, as illustrated, the empty space in each step is shown shaded, that is the space 34 which, of course, is successively being shifted or altered, as is obvious. As the key block 25 is square and the largest block shown, it is readily recognized in the various steps shown in Fig. 13.

Obviously, modifications in form or structure may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

After a player has finished in his attempt to solve the puzzle, whether successfully or not, the registering mechanism and the indicator 42 are readily restored to their original positions, as, for example, by swinging the sector 35 back to its starting position from the underside of the structure, or by swinging the indicator 42 back to zero reading on the scale 43.

It is to be noted that the sector 35 serves as a resistance or dampener to the swinging of the arm 37 in its camlike behavior caused by the pin 26, at any given position of the pin against the arm when the pin 26 comes to, that is, when the block 25 is stopped, so that the arm cannot swing beyond that position. This follows from the substantially greater moment of inertia of the sector compared with that of the arm.

I claim:

1. In a block puzzle including a box-like structure having surrounding side and end walls enclosing a rectangular area and a floor positioned part way between the tops and bottoms of the walls, said floor having a plurality of blocks slidably mounted thereon including a key block larger than the other of said blocks, the total area occupied by said blocks being equal to the area of said floor less a suficient area to permit sliding of all the blocks selectively on the floor, the solution of the puzzle consisting in sliding of the key block from a given starting position on the floor to a given final position on the floor, the improvement consisting in the provision on the structure of a dial having a moveable indicator for registering the progress of said key block between said position thereof, and means partly on said key block and partly on said indicator for moving the indicator during movement of the key block between said positions.

2. A puzzle according to claim 1, said structure including a platform positioned adjacent said floor outside said rectangular area, said fioor having a plurality of slots at right angles to each other and communicating end to end with one another to form a slotted path defining the proper path of movement of the key block to provide said solution, said floor having additional slots communicating with said plurality of slots, said plurality of slots and said additional slots together forming a combined slotted path of possible movement of the key block, that part of said means which is on the key block comprising a projection from the bottom of the key block registering in said combined slotted path, that part of said means which is on said indicator comprising an arm pivotally mounted between the ends thereof under the floor and platform and having that portion thereof on one side of the pivot axis thereof extending across said proper path in the path of said projection at all points throughout the length of the proper path, the extremity of said projection lying in the plane of said arm, said arm being engageable by said projection during movement of the key block along said proper path, that portion of said arm on the other side of said pivot axis having said indicator thereon.

3. A puzzle according to claim 2, said platform having a window therein, a sector pivotally mounted under the floor and platform on a pivot through the tapered end thereof, the other end of the sector having a panel thereon, having at least twice the length of said window and mounted in a plane under and adjacent said window, said window lying in the orbit of said panel, said panel having two areas side by side thereon each having a length equal approximately to one-half the length of said window and bearing a legend whereby either of the legends is adapted to be positioned under the window depending upon the position of said sector, and means partly on said arm and partly on said sector for swinging said sector by said arm.

4. A puzzle according to claim 2, said arm having a pin thereon at right angles thereto on said other side of the pivot axis of the arm, said dial including an arcuate slot in said structure having said pin registering therein, said indicator being mounted on said pin, and dampening means for stopping further movement of said arm when the key block and hence the block projection come to rest.

5. A puzzle according to claim 4, said last-named means comprising a sector longer and through the greater part of its length wider than said arm thereby having a substantially larger moment of inertia than said arm, said sector being pivoted at its tapering end near that end wall of the structure opposite said platform in a plane below the plane of said arm and on a vertical axis, said sector having a slot therein in the wider end thereof, said arm having a downward projection in said firstnamed portion thereof registering in said sector slot whereby swinging said arm causes said arm projection to swing said sector.

6. In a block puzzle including a structure having a floor and side and end walls surrounding the floor, a plurality of blocks slidably mounted on the floor and having among them one distinctive key block, the total area of said blocks being sufiiciently less than the area of the floor to permit sliding of all of the blocks selectively, the solution of the puzzle consisting in moving the key block from a given starting position to a given final position, the improvement consisting in the provision of a progress indicator on the structure to record the progress of the key block between said positions through a predetermined path along the floor, and means partly on the key block and partly on the indicator for moving the indicator progressively during the progressive movement of the key block along said predetermined path.

7. A puzzle according to claim 4, one slot of said proper path being positioned substantially parallel with and spaced from the other of said end walls and having one of said additional slots aligned therewith and communicating with the forward end of said one slot of the proper path toward which the block projection travels along the proper path toward said final position, said arm having a length such that the orbit of its extremity on said other side of the pivot axis thereof has said one slot of the proper path substantially tangential thereto, said extremity of the arm having a dog pivoted thereon and extending therefrom across said one slot of the proper path when the latter slot is tangential to the arm as aforesaid whereby the block projection upon moving past said forward end swings the dog out of the path of said one of the additional slots without swinging said arm and hence permitting travel in the reverse direction of the block projection back into said one slot of the proper path without swinging said arm.

8. A puzzle according to claim 3, said last-named means comprising a pin on said arm and a slot in said sector, said sector slot extending at an acute angle to a radius of the sector taken on a line bisecting the sector, said pin registering in said sector slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,539,738 Hutton May 26, 1925 1,987,951 Heide Ian. 15, 1935 2,074,512 Mills Mar. 23, 1937 2,119,340 Mills May 31, 1938 2,564,502 Redford Aug. 14, 1951 

